Assessing Mode Boundaries for Automated Metro Lines

The research question that we pose is to what extent, if any, full automation in metro lines redefines transit mode boundaries. The modeling approach that we follow is based on micro-economic appraisal of transit. Automation, beside changing the investment and operation and maintenance cost profiles of metro lines, offer a different user experience in terms of service hours, adaptive response to peak demand, ultra-short frequencies, safety, and station configuration. The low marginal cost of frequency possible with automated metro may unlock both users' benefits \textit{via} reduced waiting times, and operator's savings \textit{via} shorter trains, and smaller platforms and stations. The practical question that we answer is to what extent, if any, the users' and operator's advantages of automated metros allow a cost-effective overlap of this new technology with semi-rapid transit modes.